Munti sidewalks rid of vendors, even those who reelected mayor

The Muntinlupa City government has begun sidewalk-clearing operations in the Alabang viaduct area to rid the streets of “eyesores,” such as makeshift stalls and illegally parked vehicles, and also prevent criminals from taking advantage of the high-traffic site.

“The law states that a one-meter (breadth of) sidewalk should be clear of obstructions for pedestrians,” said Senior Supt. Teresita Salvadora, who headed the operations that started Wednesday morning. “Even overhead fixtures should not go beyond that boundary,” she said.

The Alabang viaduct area covers both the northbound and southbound lanes of Manila Service Road and its intersections at Alabang-Zapote Road and Montillano Street.

First to be cleared was the middle portion of the service road, which runs right under the viaduct and once looked like a wet market due to the sheer number of stalls crowding it.

But Esperanza Basilan, one of the displaced merchants and chair of the Muntinlupa Vendors Association, said they wanted to have a talk with Mayor Jaime Fresnedi.

“I rallied our members behind Mayor Fresnedi, so now they are asking me: Is this what we get in return?” said Basilan, a 58-year-old fruit vendor. “If this will continue, what does that mean for our 3,000 members?”

Tez Navarro, head of the city’s public information office, said the local government was working out livelihood programs for the affected vendors and their families.

“They can be trained in food processing, sewing, or other skills for work abroad, such as bartending. We can give scholarships (for their children). We have to identify first those who are really from Muntinlupa. Nonresidents will be sent back to their respective cities.”